Diagnosis of Parathyroid Carcinoma: Instrumental Methods and Prospects for Molecular and Genetic Biomarkers Analysis

Parathyroid carcinoma (PC) is a rare malignant neoplasm that accounts for less than 1% of all cases of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). The detection of early-stage PC is steadily increasing likely due to expanded screening of serum calcium levels. Surgical intervention is the primary and only effective treatment for primary tumor as well as for recurrent and metastatic PC. However, the optimal extent of the primary surgical procedures remains unclear. There are no specific biomarkers for PC currently. The issue of preoperative PC diagnosis remains unresolved. Topical diagnosis of these neoplasms is increasingly important, however, in practice such methods have certain limitations. In particular, ultrasound requires special training of specialists. This review presents current advances in preoperative diagnosis of PC and examines their advantages and limitations.